Fun Facts About the Name Lyla
- Gaining ground: Lyla remained in the U.S. top 100 for 3 consecutive years, from 2023 through 2025. In 2025, it gained 3 ranking positions compared with the previous year.
- More than 49 thousand babies named Lyla: U.S. records list 49,279 babies given the name Lyla from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 boys received the name Lyla - about 1 boy for every 9,855 girls.
What Does the Name Lyla Mean?
Lyla is an English spelling of the girl's name Lila, and it carries more than one independent origin. In Arabic, laylah (ليلة) means "night," built on the root layl, also "night"; the related Arabic name Layla comes from the same root. Separately, Sanskrit līlā means "play," "sport," or "amusement," and in Hindu usage it names the divine play of a deity - the sense behind the South Asian name often spelled Leela. Some English uses of Lila instead treat it as a short form of a longer name such as Delilah, in which case the meaning follows the parent name rather than the Arabic or Sanskrit word.
Lyla Name History & Origins
Lyla is a respelling of Lila in which the letter y marks the long i sound for English readers. The older form arrived in English through more than one route. In the Arabic-speaking world, Lila and the related Layla belong to a group of names formed from the word for night, and the story of Layla and Majnun - an Arabic romance that later circulated in Persian and Turkish versions - made Layla familiar across Muslim literature. In South Asia, Lila or Leela descends from the Sanskrit term for divine play and is still a common given name in India. English speakers have used Lila as a first name, and the Lyla spelling appears in modern popular culture, including the title of a 2005 Eric Clapton song.
How Popular is the Name Lyla?
Lyla recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Lyla entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #80 | 3,089 | 0.1922% |
| 2024 | #83 | 2,944 | 0.1825% |
| 2023 | #99 | 2,655 | 0.1657% |
| 2022 | #105 | 2,664 | 0.1626% |
| 2021 | #110 | 2,520 | 0.1537% |
| 2020 | #118 | 2,307 | 0.1428% |
| 2019 | #121 | 2,449 | 0.1460% |
| 2018 | #128 | 2,305 | 0.1356% |
| 2017 | #131 | 2,268 | 0.1314% |
| 2016 | #138 | 2,224 | 0.1255% |
| 2015 | #141 | 2,276 | 0.1275% |
| 2014 | #141 | 2,383 | 0.1334% |
| 2013 | #154 | 2,083 | 0.1187% |
| 2012 | #146 | 2,225 | 0.1264% |
| 2011 | #127 | 2,416 | 0.1374% |
| 2010 | #135 | 2,290 | 0.1288% |
| 2009 | #154 | 2,070 | 0.1127% |
| 2008 | #223 | 1,508 | 0.0798% |
| 2007 | #368 | 887 | 0.0461% |
| 2006 | #642 | 449 | 0.0236% |
| 2005 | #865 | 293 | 0.0159% |
| 2004 | #1,100 | 208 | 0.0113% |
| 2003 | #1,125 | 196 | 0.0107% |
| 2002 | #1,389 | 139 | 0.0077% |
| 2001 | #1,567 | 119 | 0.0066% |
| 2000 | #1,786 | 98 | 0.0054% |
| 1999 | #1,885 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 1998 | #2,231 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 1997 | #3,410 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1996 | #3,786 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1995 | #4,046 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1994 | #4,945 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #3,738 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1992 | #4,035 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1991 | #3,591 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1990 | #3,264 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1989 | #3,533 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1988 | #3,850 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1987 | #5,210 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #3,713 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #3,295 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1984 | #3,813 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #4,392 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1982 | #3,856 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1981 | #3,945 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1980 | #4,237 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #3,852 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1978 | #4,575 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1977 | #2,881 | 28 | 0.0018% |
| 1976 | #3,892 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1975 | #3,220 | 22 | 0.0015% |
| 1974 | #3,640 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1973 | #3,414 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1972 | #3,478 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1971 | #3,875 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #3,658 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1969 | #3,402 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1968 | #3,708 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #4,194 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #3,473 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #3,489 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #2,879 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #2,278 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1962 | #2,054 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1961 | #2,184 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1960 | #2,173 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1959 | #2,043 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1958 | #2,237 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1957 | #1,717 | 40 | 0.0020% |
| 1956 | #1,497 | 51 | 0.0025% |
| 1955 | #1,716 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1954 | #1,492 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 1953 | #1,385 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 1952 | #1,411 | 48 | 0.0026% |
| 1951 | #1,188 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 1950 | #1,297 | 50 | 0.0029% |
| 1949 | #1,285 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 1948 | #1,100 | 66 | 0.0039% |
| 1947 | #1,306 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 1946 | #1,096 | 61 | 0.0039% |
| 1945 | #990 | 61 | 0.0047% |
| 1944 | #1,215 | 43 | 0.0032% |
| 1943 | #866 | 81 | 0.0058% |
| 1942 | #940 | 70 | 0.0052% |
| 1941 | #1,010 | 53 | 0.0044% |
| 1940 | #832 | 74 | 0.0065% |
| 1939 | #873 | 65 | 0.0059% |
| 1938 | #907 | 61 | 0.0055% |
| 1937 | #998 | 50 | 0.0047% |
| 1936 | #872 | 61 | 0.0059% |
| 1935 | #881 | 62 | 0.0059% |
| 1934 | #845 | 66 | 0.0063% |
| 1933 | #842 | 64 | 0.0063% |
| 1932 | #872 | 64 | 0.0060% |
| 1931 | #852 | 66 | 0.0062% |
| 1930 | #820 | 75 | 0.0067% |
| 1929 | #785 | 80 | 0.0072% |
| 1928 | #850 | 73 | 0.0063% |
| 1927 | #828 | 79 | 0.0066% |
| 1926 | #767 | 89 | 0.0075% |
| 1925 | #683 | 117 | 0.0096% |
| 1924 | #729 | 103 | 0.0082% |
| 1923 | #807 | 82 | 0.0068% |
| 1922 | #833 | 78 | 0.0065% |
| 1921 | #790 | 86 | 0.0070% |
| 1920 | #877 | 69 | 0.0058% |
| 1919 | #1,022 | 50 | 0.0044% |
| 1918 | #877 | 67 | 0.0058% |
| 1917 | #985 | 51 | 0.0047% |
| 1916 | #880 | 60 | 0.0057% |
| 1915 | #924 | 52 | 0.0053% |
| 1914 | #895 | 43 | 0.0056% |
| 1913 | #906 | 35 | 0.0056% |
| 1912 | #856 | 35 | 0.0063% |
| 1911 | #1,343 | 13 | 0.0031% |
| 1910 | #957 | 21 | 0.0053% |
| 1909 | #1,432 | 10 | 0.0029% |
| 1908 | #901 | 20 | 0.0060% |
| 1907 | #1,253 | 11 | 0.0035% |
| 1906 | #946 | 16 | 0.0054% |
| 1905 | #1,272 | 10 | 0.0034% |
| 1904 | #1,216 | 10 | 0.0036% |
| 1903 | #1,009 | 13 | 0.0050% |
| 1902 | #1,108 | 11 | 0.0042% |
| 1901 | #1,191 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1900 | #1,038 | 14 | 0.0047% |
| 1899 | #1,750 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1898 | #997 | 13 | 0.0050% |
| 1897 | #962 | 12 | 0.0051% |
| 1896 | #861 | 15 | 0.0063% |
| 1895 | #1,029 | 11 | 0.0047% |
| 1894 | #884 | 13 | 0.0058% |
| 1893 | #815 | 14 | 0.0066% |
| 1892 | #1,056 | 9 | 0.0042% |
| 1891 | #1,164 | 7 | 0.0038% |
| 1890 | #914 | 10 | 0.0053% |
| 1889 | #1,218 | 6 | 0.0034% |
| 1885 | #1,140 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1884 | #899 | 7 | 0.0054% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | #13,327 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Lyla
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Lyla Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Lyla's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lyla's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.